X-men Genesis
by Xtreme Team
Summary: The story of new mutants from Earth 42. It tells how they formed teams after M-Day. Part 1 of the Earth 42 Series.
1. Picking Up the Pieces

"Derek?" a voice broke the almost sacred silence in the area.

"Yeah Diana?"

"Do you think we're the only ones left?" the girl asked as she and her brother looked out at the leveled building.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Di. Maybe."

"Well." A slight note of bitterness entered her voice. "The general populace should be happy. No more freaks. Just nice, NORMAL people. Like it should always have been."

"We can't blame them for fearing what they don't understand."

"They didn't even try, Derek. They just hunted us like animals, and now hundreds of people are dead."

"You and I both know that people are afraid of what they don't understand."

Diana sighed. "I know but what are we going to do now?"

"We wait."

"What are we waiting for?"

"New mutants."

"There won't be any more."

"Mutants will return eventually and we need to be ready."

"Suppose I believe you, how do you expect to find the new mutants?"

"The same way Professor X did. We will use Cerebro."

"OK let's go find Cerebro then."


	2. Forgotten Project

"Where do you suppose that Cerbro will be?"

"It should be on the bottom floor across from Beast's lab."

"There it is!" Diana exclaimed. Derek and Diana ran over to Cerebro. It was intact but upon closer inspection, the circuitry of Cerebro had been completely fried. Cerebro would need repairs before it could be functional again.

"How can we fix it Derek?"

"I don't know. We could try Beast's lab. He might have left something behind that we could use."

They went across the hall and entered Beast's lab. Inside were an array books, notes and half-finished inventions and projects. Derek and Diana searched the lab. They were about to give up hope until they turned the corner. Diana screamed. A girl about their age was sealed inside of a capsule. She had light brown hair that spilled over her shoulders in choppy layers and pale skin; she wore a pair of stylishly ripped black jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that had a simple green and gold computer ship design on one side.

Derek went over to the girl's side, Diana following, and pressed the button that would unlock the unit. A hiss of cold air ran over them as the lid unsealed for the first time in who knows how long. Grey-green eyes flickered open.

"Huh? Who-? What-?"

"I'm Derek and this is my sister, Diana. You're in Beast's lab."

"I'm Datastream." Datastream regarded Derek and Diana, they both had black hair and blue eyes and she realized that they were twins.

"Do you know why Beast brought you here?"

"I don't..." Datastream admitted, thinking hard as she stood from the capsule.

"Maybe Beast placed you here to protect you from the Legacy Virus." Derek suggested but Datastream shook her head.

"No... That wasn't it. I went in there before the Virus..."

The Twins looked at each other. "Then how do you know about the Virus?"

"...It's all on the computer over there." Datastream deadpanned; the two looked at the monitor she was referring to. It was dark.

"There's nothing..."

"I remember now. Just before the Virus was released, the School was attacked. Beast brought me down here to help him run the Defenses, but when they broke through he took me in here and put me in stasis so they wouldn't find me."

"Why would he sacrifice himself like that? And why would you just run like that?! You're supposed to be a hero." Diana asked.

The lights dimmed alarmingly as Datastream's eyes flashed, then returned to normal. Derek glanced around nervously. Were the lights dimming on their own or was..no that can't be right. There has never been a mutant able to manipulate technology. Why would one exist now?

"Don't you dare call me a coward! I fought Beast for over an hour before he got me in there." The lights flickered again and a piece of machinery sparked.

"Datastream, do you know if there is anything we could use to repair Cerebro in here?" Derek asked trying to diffuse the situation before anything else happened.

"I might know how to fix it." She responded stiffly. "What's wrong with it?"

"The circuitry is completely fried."

"I'll see what I can do."

Derek, Diana, and Datastream left Beast's lab and went back to the room with Cerebro. Datastream inspected Cerebro; she laid a hand on the cool metal and cocked her head as though listening for something.

"Can you fix it?"

"Not as bad as I'd feared..." Datastream muttered. "I can fix this. You two are very lucky; because I'm the only one who can repair it with the condition it is in." Datastream waved her hand over Cerebro. The machine reconfigured itself and Cerebro was repaired in a matter of minutes.

"You-you-" Diana stuttered in shock. "You can control techology!?"

"The correct term is 'Technopath' and yes, I am one." The technopath turned and started walking away. "Where are you going?" Derek asked as he picked up the Cerebro helmet.

"I'm not staying here, but good luck, Grey."

"Our last name isn't Grey."

"I know. It's Davenport." The twins twitched in surprise. "But the last Telepath as strong as you guys was Jean Grey. Thank goodness she's dead."

The two telepaths watched silently as Datastream walked out of the room without a second glance back.


	3. Armored Protector

"It'll be ok Trevor."

"No it won't. Our parents think I'm some sort of a freak and I am."

"Trevor, you aren't a freak."

"Yes I am Rosalie. I can make thorns grow on my arms."

"You are not a freak, you are a mutant and you are more than welcome to join the X-men at their new school." A new comer had approached Rosalie and Trevor Thornton. She had short black hair and wore an X-men uniform.

"I don't know who you are but the X-men are gone."

"I'm Armor and no the X-men are not gone. We're just smaller in number now. The White Queen bought us a school to train mutants like you."

"Say I believe you about the X-men. How do I know that you aren't just a Purifier in disguise?"

There was a flash of orange light as a suit of glowing armor appeared over Armor. "See I am a mutant."

"OK I'll go to your school."

"Trevor, don't go!"

"I have to Rosalie. It isn't safe for me at home now."

"Put this on your wrist. It's a teleporter. It'll take us straight to the school."

Trevor strapped the device to his arm. "Goodbye Rosalie."

...

"Kill the freak with the hair."

"Ppplease don't hhhurt me." A girl with brown eyes and light brown hair said. Her long hair was pushing the Purifiers away from her.

"Leave her alone!" Armor ran up to the girl. She activated her armor and it surrounded the two of them.

"It's the freak with the armor. We can't hurt her. Her armor is too powerful. Let's go." The Purifiers left.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I am Armor. You can come to my school if you would like. We'll teach you how to use your powers."

"As long as there isn't Purifiers, I'm in."


	4. Forces of Nature

"I told you we wouldn't find any new mutants." Derek and Diana had taken turns using Cerebro to find new mutants. So far mutant numbers have only fallen.

"We can't give up."

"Just admit it Derek, I was right and you were wrong." As soon as Diana said this, a dot appeared.

"Actually you were wrong." Derek said as more dots appeared.

"Fine you were right. Let's go recruit the new mutants to my team."

"It's my team."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is. You cost us the chance to recruit Datastream because you always speak your mind even in situations where you shouldn't."

Diana sighed. "You're right. Let's go."

...

"I can see them! They are everywhere and they are mutants like me." A girl with short white hair said. The images of mutants were filling her mind and overwhelming her. She could see ever mutant that currently existed and could sense when new ones would appear. She had run away from home when her parents had called her a freak and disowned her. She was currently trying to hide from Purifiers but she couldn't resist talking to herself about the mutants she could see in her mind. A boy and a girl walked up to her. They introduced themselves as Derek and Diana Davenport. She knew that they were mutants like her and she could also sense that they would be able to help her control her powers.  
...

"Hi I'm Derek Davenport and this is my sister, Diana."

"I am Celeste Johnson. I know why you have sought me out and I would like to join your team."

The twins stared out each other confused.

(How does she know Derek?)

(I don't know for sure but it must be her power.)

"I found you by using my power. You two need me on your team. As we speak, the X-mansion is being invaded by Purifiers. You will no longer be able to use Cerebro to find new mutants."

"I believe you, Welcome to the team. My codename is Havok and my sister's is Eclipse."

"I would like my codename to be Cerebra as I can see most things including when and where mutants will appear."

"I love your codename and your powers. I can tell that you will be a great addition to the team."

"I will be. I also possess telekinesis but I'll need your help with that."

"Sure I can show you how."

"Thanks Eclipse but we should wait until later. We need to go help a girl named Rosalie Thornton."

"OK?"

"Don't worry Havok, You'll like her."

...

Rosalie Thornton sat in the shade of the apple tree that she had created. She didn't know what to do. Rosalie silently withed that the armored woman who had taken her brother to safety would come for her also but she knew the woman was gone.

Rosalie had sat in the field wishing her brother would come back. She realized that she was hungry and that she wanted an apple. An apple tree grew instantly in response to her thoughts. She plucked an apple and ate it, unsure where to go from there. She was angry that she was a mutant and sad that her power hadn't manifested earlier so that she could go with her brother to the school. Now she just wished something would happen.

...

A red haired girl with green eyes sat under the shade of an enormous apple tree. The girl was dressed in a long sleeved green shirt, jeans and green sneakers.

"Is that her?" Derek asked.

"Yes. That girl is Rosalie Thornton."

"Is she a mutant? Ooh what are her powers?" Diana asked.

"Isn't it obvious? Hew power is control over plants. Why else would there be a giant apple tree in an empty field?"

"I guess that makes sense Cerebra."

"Go ask her."

"Ask her….?"

"Didn't we come to recruit her to the team?"

"I uh sure." Derek walked over to Rosalie and introduced himself. He then invited her to join the team.

Diana laughed. "You were right Cerebra. Derek likes her. He couldn't stop staring at her after you pointed her out."

...

Rosalie considered the proposal for a moment.

"I'm in. My code name will be Rose."

...

"I'm not a mutant!"

"Yes you are! You froze the duck pond!"

"I didn't mean to."

"You sister said the same thing when she almost burned the house down!"

"I'm sorry mother. I'll try to unfreeze the pond."

"Don't bother. You are no daughter of mine!"

Abigail ran to her room in tears. She decided to run away like her sister Ava did when her flame powers activated. Abigail collected some things in a duffel bag and left her family's estate.

She would find some way to make use of her powers. A group of mutants approached her and asked her to join their team.

...

"That's the girl we need to ask. Her name is Abigail Costello." Cerebra pointed to a girl with platinum blonde hair. The girl had blues eyes and wore a light blue top with designer jeans and boots.

Derek approached the girl.

"Stay away. I'm a mutant. You could get hurt."

"It's OK. We are mutants too."

"Oh."

"You can join our team if you would like."

"I'm in."

"Welcome to the team Abigail."

"Please call me Abbey."

"Ok Abbey, What would you like your code name to be?"

"I'm not sure."

"It could be Ice Queen." Diana suggested.

"I like it. My codename will be Ice Queen."

"Perfect. Cerebra, is there anyone else we should try to recruit to them team?"

"There is one more we should hurry and find. Her name is Oadira T'Challa and she is the daughter of Storm and Black Panther. She will be in the area for today only so we need to find her.

...

A girl with dark skin and white hair walked alone. She was trying to keep a low profile so that no one would find her before she got on the plane and left for Wakanda. Oadira had tried to find the X-men to join them but she couldn't find them. She decided to return home where it was safe.

"Wait Oadira!"

Oadira was stunned. She turned around. She saw a group of teens that she didn't recognize. "Who are you people and how did you find me? Are you the X-men?"

"We are mutants like you. Cerebra found you using her power. We would like you to join our team."

"You don't seem like bad people so I guess I can join your team. What is its name?"

"I'm not sure. We haven't decided yet."

"We could be X-Factor."

"We can be X-Factor. What would you like your code name to be Oadira? Mine is Havok, That's Rose, Cerebra, Ice Queen, and Eclipse."

"I want my code name to be Storm."

"Welcome to the team Storm. Is there anyone else we should try to find Cerebra?"

"Nope. We can go to our base."

"OK let's go to our base."


	5. Betrayal and Renewel

(Soon I will have completed my mission. X-Factor will be destroyed by the Sisterhood of Mutants and my role will be finished. Tomorrow I will lead X-Factor into an ambush.) Celeste sat in her bed planning the demise of X-Factor. She forgot that Diana was Telepathic and didn't notice when she left.

Diana overheard Cerebra's thoughts. She was extremely angry but she went immediately to her brother Derek.

"One of our members is a traitor."

"Who is it?"

"Celeste Johnson. She is secretly a member of the Sisterhood of Mutants. She is going to lead us into an ambush tomorrow."

"I will make sure that doesn't happen."

"Havok!"

"Yes Cerebra?"

"We need to hurry. A group of Purifiers are going to attack the team. If we leave now, we can defeat them before they have a chance to react."

"Ok. Where are they?"

"They are plotting in a warehouse a few blocks from here. We can stop them if we hurry."

"Ok. Everyone suit up. We have some Purifiers to stop."

"Ok Cerebra. I want you to scout ahead. We will follow you in shortly."

"Perfect. I'll see you soon." Cerebra left the group and entered the warehouse.

"It's time to go."

"What about Cerebra?" Storm asked.

"She's a traitor. She was working with the Sisterhood of Mutants to destroy X-Factor."

"How dare she!" Ice Queen said angrily.

The team left Cerebra behind. Cerebra was left to face the consequences of what she had done.

"What will we do now?"

"We will move to a new base and recruit someone else to replace Cerebra on the team."

A girl walked alone. She had light brown skin and brown hair. She wore a brown jacket with jeans and boots.

"Ama!"

The girl turned around in surprise. Two teenagers approached her. Both of them had black hair and blue eyes. They introduced themselves as Derek and Diana Davenport. They explained that they were mutants like her and they offered to let her join their team.

"I'll join you. I want my codename to be Terra because my powers are earth related."

"What are you powers?" Diana asked excitedly.

"I can manipulate earth in a variety of ways including healing."

"Wow I'm glad you joined our team and I can't wait..."

Derek silenced Diana with a look. "Welcome to the team Terra. We should head to our base so that you can meet the other members."

"Perfect. I have everything I need in my bag."

They made their way to X-Factor's new base.


	6. Excalibur Rising

_"Datastream!"_

 _"Diana?_ Great, I'm dreaming about you now. _"_

 _"Actually my codename is Eclipse."_

 _"Whatever. Just get out of my head so I can sleep. "_

 _This isn't just a dream. I'm projecting myself into your subconscious; you need to leave."_

 _"Why?"_

 _"You've got Purifiers coming after you; they should be there in thirty minutes so I'd suggest getting out of there fast."_

 _"How do you know this?"_

 _"A mutant on our team told us. She can foretell the future and no she is not Jean Grey."_

 _"That's a comfort."_

 _"A simple 'thank you' would suffice. You need to hurry and leave. WAKE UP!"_

Datastream awoke covered in sweat. "Whoa... Not-Grey's got some tricks up her sleeve..." she wiped her forehead and rolled to her feet. "Well, real or not, might as well get moving."

* * *

It had been over a week since Datastream had left the ruins of the Xavier Institute and she had been running from the Purifiers ever since. This particular group was especially stubborn and had been on her tail for several days now.

Datastream shook sweat from her eyes and snapped her fingers to make a piece of electrical wire tie her hair up into a ponytail. There was only so much she could do without giving herself away to the non-mutants.

"Hey!" The call made Datastream shoot to her feet and glance around. It had come from a girl about her age with dark brown hair and gold streaks framing her face who was standing half outside the entrance to a warehouse's basement. "Over here." Deciding to trust her instincts, the technopath dropped into the gloom.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Kasen..." she paused for a moment. "I.. saw what you did with that wire in your hair." Datastream tensed. "No! It's okay... I'm a mutant too." Kasen produced a tiny flashlight that barely lit her face.

"Thanks for helping me. I've been running from the Purifiers for a while now." Kasen smiled and started down the hallway.

"It's nothing. We try to help anyone who needs it." She shrugged. "Not that many stay long."

"We?"

"Yeah. It's normally just to two of us down here; everyone else says they can't stand the dark."

"Why IS it so dark?"

Instead of answering, Kasen grabbed Datastream's wrist and shut off the light. "How many steps Blake?" She called.

A male voice came out of the darkness. "Fifteen to the corner." The two girls walked fifteen steps and Kasen turned the corner confidently. "Nine o'clock." the voice whispered. then, "Hey Kase." It was completely black but Datastream could sense the third presence approaching and suddenly Kasen's hand on her wrist was gone. Adrenaline surged through her, realizing that she was practically a sitting duck in the room. "You don't have to be afraid of us." A hand appeared on her shoulder. "I'm Blake. Sorry about the darkness, but my mutation is happiest in the dark."

"Can you... see me?"

"Sure. I can see everything in here, that's why it's so dark." the newcomer was led to a chair and gently pushed into it. "I get headaches when I can see. To the point that it's impossible for me to function, but it's fine since I have my mutation."

"We stay in the dark because Blake is most comfortable here; if we have to move we do it at night and Blake wears his sunglasses." Kasen commented.

"Do you ever wish you could feel the sun again?" Datastream asked.

"Sometimes. But I've gotten used to being alone in the dark; Kase is the only one who will put up with it for me." Blake's presence moved away for a moment before coming back and placing something in her lap. "Here, bread at three and meat at nine. There's a cup of water attached at noon." she realized that he was describing where the food on her plate was. It was with a practiced air that made her realize that this was a normal thing for these two.

"Thanks." She paused. "You guys never asked for my name."

"You never offered it." Kasen responded softly.

"Well, I'm Dawn."

"Nice to meet you, Dawn." You could hear the smile in Kasen's voice.

"So... I know Blake's power, what's your Kasen?"

"I toss around concussive shockwaves."

"Hm... Radar and Shockwave then."

"Did you just give us codenames?" Blake asked with a laugh.

"Yeah. I'm Datastream." she paused again, deep in thought. "If I could find a way for Blake to be able to go outside in the light, would you guys join me? Strength in numbers and all?"

"If you could do that. We'd follow you anywhere."

* * *

It took three weeks, and many tests, but Blake finally stepped into the sunlight again. A pair of black wraparound sunglasses firmly on, Dawn got her first real look at him; he was tall (though she already knew that) with black hair that hung to his brush his ears, he was pale from his long banishment from sunlight, but that could be changed soon trio laughed as Kasen cut Blake's hair with an electric razor that Datastream had jerry-rigged, while the technopath herself worked on updating a laptop she had stolen.

"So where's our next stop?" Blake asked, running a hand through his now-spiked hair.

"Next town over. There's a team of Purifiers there."

"And where there's Purifiers," Kasen stated softly. "There's a Mutant in trouble."

"Let's go. I've got a craving for toasted Purifier." The other two laughed at Dawn's comment.


	7. Song of the Syren

The dark haired girl raced through the night-darkened alleyway, she had been chased non-stop for the past two days and was quickly wearing out. She turned a final corner and skidded to a stop, heart sinking at the dead end. She didn't want to use her powers - they were a little bit like throwing up a flare - but she was running out of options. One of her pursuers rounded the corner seconds behind her and sneered at the sight of her trapped status.

"Come quietly, freak, and we won't hurt you... much..."

In response, the girl set her feet and took a breath. That breath was released in a scream that echoed through the night and the sound wave from it threw her attacker backwards and cracked the stone walls around her. Another man rounded the corner directly afterwards and she took a quick breath to scream again, but had no need for it as he jerked suddenly and hit the ground to reveal three teenagers about her age - two girls and a boy.

"Neat power, what else can you do?" A light brown haired girl asked casually, clipping a small taser onto her belt.

"Give her a second to breath, Data." the other girl - with dark brown hair and gold streaks - sounded exasperated. "I'm Shockwave, by the way, and this is Datastream and Radar."

"We won't hurt you, you know." Radar assured her, shifting a laptop bag on his shoulder, weak lamplight glinting off his black sunglasses.

"I'm Megan..." she stuttered."thanks for your help."

"No problem." Datastream said off-handedly. "We help our own, you know."

"Then you're like me?"

"Not _exactly_ like you," Radar answered, "but we've all got powers."

"And we've had those guys on our tail before." Shockwave added.

"Speaking of which..." the two girls looked at Radar."...there are more of them on their way."

"Then let's get out of here."

"Not enough time, they're coming too fast and have us cut off."

Shockwave sighed. "And I so hate causing property damage."

"Why not?" Datastream grinned. "It's fun."

Shockwave rolled her eyes as a dozen men surged into the alley. Megan knew instinctively that there were too many of them to fight off, and so took a calming breath. "I can handle this..." the trio glanced at her. "Just cover your ears." They obeyed as the dark skinned girl opened her mouth and began to sing - vocalizing the theme from Swan Lake. The other three watched in surprise as the Purifiers began dropping like flies.

"What did you do?" Radar questioned as they uncovered their ears.

Megan blushed. "One of my abilities... they should wake up in about a day or so... I think."

Datastream burst out laughing. "Oh, I like you." She stepped over the prone form of one of the Purifiers. "C'mon little Syren, we want to be as far away from these idiots as possible when they wake up."

"Syren?"

"Sure, why not?"

Shockwave shook her head. "Data... do you have a fascination with Naming everyone?"

The girl in question shrugged. "Probably. But it's fun, so..."

"Did you even ask Megan if she has somewhere to go?" Radar questioned, turning to the fourth member of their group.

"My parents kicked me out after I screamed and took out the wall in the front room." Megan shrugged and hung her head.

"Syren it is then," Datastream chirped. "c'mon, time's a-wastin'." she snapped her fingers. "Radar, computer." The boy snorted and handed the bag over. Datastream pulled out the laptop and ran a finger along the top. "Another gang of Purifiers is heading for Monsen City."

"Is this what you guys do all day?" the newly-named Syren asked.

"Hunt Purifiers?" Radar questioned. "Pretty much."

"They're fun to beat up." Datastream added. "So, are you coming with us?"

"I've got nowhere else to go. And nothing to lose."


End file.
